Benina Sanchez had to learn how to live on her own after her husband passed away a couple of years ago. She has leaned many new skills, but the hardest part of this new normal was dealing with the loneliness.

Recent studies show that isolation/loneliness among adults 50+ and older, is a growing epidemic and puts them 59% more likely to experience a decline in their ability to perform their daily activities. (National Institute on Aging Health & Retirement Study in the Archives of Internal Medicine).

Pathways Volunteer Coordinator, Meg Fisch, was contacted by a concerned family member and went out to meet with Benina. She observed that Benina was very upset, cried a lot and felt very isolated. She had a scooter to help her get around but didn’t have a ramp that allowed access for the scooter. Meg was able to call in a trusted volunteer to install a new ramp for her. This enabled Benina to gain access in and out of her house with complete freedom.

Benina was also provided a volunteer who meets weekly with her to chat, run errands and occasionally take her out for a bite to eat. Benina say “My volunteers are my angels! I just don’t know what I would do without them!”

When Benina’s volunteer brought her to a recent Pathways event, the change in her was remarkable. She was dressed up, smiling and engaged in conversation…a complete contrast to how she was observed just a few short months ago. As we celebrate our nations Independence, Pathways also celebrates the Independence of Seniors who are helped through their programs and services.

Pathways is a local non-profit organization committed to providing compassionate care to those living with illness and loss. If you would like more information on their services or on how to become a volunteer, please go to their website at www.pathwayshospice.org or you can contact them directly at 562/531-3031.

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5 Responses to Dealing with Loneliness helps Seniors Stay Independent and at Home

Cerritos overnight permit parking permits, does not Aid to allowing grandkids and relatives to spend over nights, or caretakers to spend overnight visits. Overnight parking permit is just ridiculous. Then if more then 30 days passes, in a year, with grandkids staying over night, over 11 months, grandkids can not spend the night w/ grandparents. Sucks big time.

In addition, my late husband was not able to have the vanpool parked in the driveway, he had to park it at the local shopping center, and the vanpool was stolen and never returned. I can think Cerritos overnight parking permit crap. The parking permit is too restrictive, and Chased to many original homeowners out of the city to relocate in the surrounding cities where they don’t have overnight parking permits.

Not everyone has the opportunity when they are slow and aged; to run to City Hall to get a permit, or spend hours on the phone waiting to get a permit or don’t have a computer to download files.

City hall is creating allot of the loneliness, because of permit parking.

Cerritos will not allowed Property Owners to put window air conditioners on to their house.

Many seniors cannot afford to run central air conditioning, and more economical way too cool one- two rooms is via portable /temporary room air conditioner. Many seniors are empty-nesters, have borrowed on reverse mortgages, don’t have the luxury of a huge electric bill in order to satisfy the city of Cerritos w/ central air conditioning and heating. Lets face it, HVAC monthly bills can reach $250-$500 per month, for aver. 2000 Sq Ft home.

Don’t put much faith in to Jim Edwards. He has been a lousy council person and a chamber of commerce leader.

He first lied to the residences on a Shoemaker Wall Group, he and STAFFER Hal Arborcast, both promised they were going to make repairs along Shoemaker in order to bring it to standards. Over five years has passed, Jim Edwards has done nothing, Hal Arborcast has retired . Hal got his $180,000 yr. retirement plus medical insurance to the Grave. Also Jim Edwards and his wife, both have medical insurance to the Grave.

Second Jim Edwards promised us valet service for our Cal Met trash cans, for the seniors and for some of the impaired handicapped in the city. Nothing has happened. Also he promised us mobile curbside cleaning for the trash cans , if we made an appointment with Calmet, which is owned by Don Knabe. Well that’s never happened either, that was just another propaganda lie by Jim Edwards, and can be viewed on city video archives.

Last but not least, Jimmy Edwards lied about Jon Crawly censorship, Edwards/ Connie should be ashamed of their severe oddball religious beliefs.

Talk about how Trump wears his woman, please watch the video of Home and Garden TV, Jim Edwards treated his bleach blond wife worse then manure. His wife had no say on the TV program, when H&GTV decorated their Cerritos Military bungalow. This can be seen on TV.

I could barf, if I hear anymore about Jimmy Edwards and his military militia. Hello, council is about city, not about world wars and the service persons in the war. Jimmy Edwards another red face republican, so is Knabe and family.

Staples for the past 60 years have left the city, only have one staple left, Sears store. All of the restaurants/ grocery stores, have converted to Chinese restaurants….the American staple restaurants have left relocated to Lakewood.

Cerritos has made it very uncomfortable landscape by the property preservation Commissioner, many senior residents do not have the funds to keep up with the property preservation Commission protocol.

In addition, Cerritos /La Palma have both jacked up the water rates, making a very expensive to maintain their properties.

Yesteryears, many seniors enjoyed the luxury of a motor home or an RV, but the city of Cerritos has made it difficult for storage on their personal properties which they owned for more then 6 decades. Many seniors cannot have overnight guests, it’s too burdensome for the overnight parking ordinance and street cleaning ordinances.

Cerritos street trees are trespassing and breaching personal homes and properties. Seniors do not have the patience, finances and labor to attend these blighted parkway trees.

Yes Cerritos Senior Center is great, but only if your Chinese, they offere very little activities for the Americans and also the city of Cerritos Park and Recreation has done very little to get Cerritos seniors moving throughout the city. Offer very little recreational programs for the adults and the seniors. Cerritos is still waiting for a dog park, many seniors hold ownership of a dog, but our Council people are too narrow minded to have a dog park, but can spend $$ on CCPA and Auto Museum. The city still has no lawn bowling, no crochet, no horse shoes, no outdoor checkers, things that seniors enjoy doing Outdoors.

It would be great to have some senior cycling and Senior walking groups to meet throughout the city.

CERRITOS IS SLOWING CHAISNG OUT SENIORS, TO CREATE A MODEL CHINESE CITY OUR OF SENIORS HOMES.

The city council makes a lot of stupid financial decisions wasting millions of tax payer dollars every year.

Their involvement with Pathways; however, is smart and humane financial decision.

Maybe, if the city council didn’t waste millions on a Library, Performing Arts Center, Power Plant, and now Museum they could give more to our at need seniors.

Jim Edwards has been/is on the Board of Directors for Pathways. While that is a good thing, maybe, Mr. Edwards could give some of his cheeseburger money and travel money form the city to allow Pathways and other non-profits to help more of our Cerritos elderly.

Think of how many elderly the $400,000 yearly cost of the new museum would help.

Think of how many elderly the $6.7 million to refurbish the building that will house the museum would help.

Think of the $6,000,000.00 EVERY YEAR that the city covers in losses at the CCPA – Think of how much better the lives of our loved ones would be with that $6 million!

God Bless our Seniors and God Have Mercy on our wasteful city council.